Preparing a Proliant 1600 for Ubuntu installation

[Aethylred]

Ubuntu on a Compaq Proliant 1600

Introduction
The Compaq Proliant 1600 was a top-of-the-line server circa 1999, and though it’s quite obsolete by today standards, it still suite some infrastructure roles due to its reliability and robust nature. Occasionally fully kitted out units can be found at bargain prices. At max specs a Compac Proliant 1600 will have 2 x 600Mhz Intel Pentium 3 processors, 1GB ECC RAM, and 5 x 18.6GB wide SCSI drives. This document will cover configuring this specification (because I have one).

Preparation
Power up your Proliant and check that you have everything you need (e.g. PS2 keyboards!), check that it runs and everything seems ok. In particular check that the SCSI cables are not crimped or pinched by the case. Then perform a complete system erase and reconfigure it for running Linux.

Obtain Compaq SmartStart and Firmware CDs

Download Compaq SmartStart for the Proliant 1600 from the HP support site. SmartStart 5.50 was the last version to support the Proliant 1600.
Download the Firmware Maintenance 7.30 CD for the Proliant 1600 support site
Burn the ISOs to CD


Perform a full System Erase
NOTE: This will erase all data from the server!
NOTE: The server can take some time to boot up again after a System Erase, give it at least 10 minutes before trying to solve the issue. It is also normal for the Server to reboot itself a few times during configuration.
NOTE: After a full system erase it is normal to see some error messages on boot up, for example:

172-System Configuration Nonvolatile Memory Invalid
172-1 Configuration Nonvolatile Memory Invalid
162-System Options Not Set
1785-Slot 4 Drive Array Not Configured



Insert the SmarStart CD into the Proliant and reboot
When the SmartStart utilities load, select System Erase, this may take some time, up to 8 minutes per drive. Wait for it to complete.
Eject the CD and power down the Proliant for at least 30 seconds before continuing


Reconfigure the Server for Linux
Insert the SmartStart CD into the Proliant and boot it up. You may need to press F1 to continue after boot-up errors caused by a system erase

Once the SmartStart utilities have loaded select an appropriate language
Set the date and time when prompted
Click on Continue in the System Configuration Summary
Click on the I Agree check box and then Continue to accept the licensing agreement
Select Manual Configuration and then click on the Begin to start manual system configuration
In the Operating System Selector select Linux (you may need to select a specific kernel version) and then click on Next
The configuration utility will begin to set up the Proliant for running Linux, accept the default settings for any further prompts until the server reboots and loads the Array Configuration Utility loads


Configure the Array Controller

Boot the Proliant up with the SmartStart CD and select the Array Configuration Utility (if it has not already booted up to this utility)
Your operating system should already be selected
Configure your RAID settings (RAID 5, with 1 online spare is recommended for most applications) and click on Next
Click on Save Configuration Now to confirm these settings
Click on Controller  Exit to exit the utility
The server will now go through a few reboot cycles configuring the RAID controller, which may take some time.
The server should now be ready to install Ubuntu


Kernel boot options
In order to get the latest versions of Ubuntu to boot the following options will have to either be added at boot up, or permanently added to /boot/grub/menu.lst

noapic nolapic acpi=off

Follow ups

Check to see if using F10 to enter Advanced Server configuration can be used to resolve ACPI/APIC issues
Updating the server’s firmware with the Firmware Maintenance CD


References
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Home.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodSeriesId=254906&prodTypeId=15351
http://www.cpqlinux.com/
http://www.cpqlinux.com/linux.html
http://www.cpqlinux.com/steps.html

[wstout]

Thanks for the tutorial. I suppose I maybe getting in a little late on this, but to the best of my knowledge I have followed your tutorial and everything works great other than the mouse :) Have any ideas I have done some searching before I stumbled on your thread and seems its a common problem curious if/how you over came it?

[Aethylred]

Thanks for the tutorial. I suppose I maybe getting in a little late on this, but to the best of my knowledge I have followed your tutorial and everything works great other than the mouse :) Have any ideas I have done some searching before I stumbled on your thread and seems its a common problem curious if/how you over came it?

The Proliant requires genuine PS2 keyboard and mouse. Mine would not work with a USB-PS2 converter dongle thingamabob.

I bought one of these for NZ$20:

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Keyboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2527

Which sorted out my problems.

[wstout]

Aethylred, thanks for the reply, I am actually using PS/2 mouse and keyboard. The mouse works fine with the Proliant set up stuff and also with Windows, but will not work with Ubuntu, or any other distro I have tried so far, what version of Ubuntu did you get working on it? I have swapped some mice around with the same results.

[Aethylred]

I'm currently running Ubuntu 8.04.1 Server LTS without the X GUI, i.e. console only interface.

[wstout]

Probably what i need to do anyway. I don't really need the GUI for my purposes either, just hate to have a problem I can't solve but i think I may chunk this one up to that and get on with it. Thanks for the help.

[scruz]

I'm a little late to the party, I know, but I found that you have to use nousb at boot up also in order for the boot to work with the latest BIOS (11/2000). It took me a little time, but I finally got it working after reading about it in the Fedora forums. :D

[wstout]

scruz, thanks for the word, I did try that but just never could get it to working, but the server has been running without issue for over 6 months now, without a mouse :)